Seed Variations: Variation 5 скачать в хорошем качестве

Seed Variations: Variation 5

‘Seed Variation 5’ continues the ‘Seed Theme and Variations’ series. In common with previous variations, this piece was recorded with a mutlitrack recorder in two passes, each pass being one single take: firstly the shakuhachi, and then the electronics. These two passes are shown in the video. This procedure preserves my live-performance aesthetic, in which what happens in-the-moment is what the piece becomes, despite the recorded format. In theory, the piece could be performed live by two performers with appropriate skills and instruments. The shakuhachi is my favourite concert 1.8-shaku length instrument, made by Bei Shu in the 1990s. It has been my constant companion for more than 25 years. The electronics is a synthesizer combination of my own devising. I call it my ‘Music Donkey’. To understand this curious name, please check the German translation of the word ‘donkey’, and place it after the word ‘music’, and see whether the resulting word creates any resonances with another well-known instrument. My combination - a Korg Volca FM and Volca Keys, a Bastl Kastle 1.5 with a home-made patching and switching network, and a few effects pedals - is, of course, a very different instrument to the wonderful, illustrious forebear. Nevertheless, it serves my purposes here, in combination with the shakuhachi: it gives me a broad palette of timbres and processing options, controlled and manipulated by a combination of miniature touchplate keyboards and various knobs and switches, with plenty of real-time access. And the whole thing runs on batteries (I use rechargeables), making it easy for live performance – carry on, plug in to PA, perform, carry off. (By the way, I would of course love to own and perform/record with the namesake, but my budget doesn’t stretch that far :-) ) A photo of my ‘Music Donkey’ appears at the end of the video. Please enjoy! Jim F.